Good Days
by isawrightless
Summary: "Your hair is funny," the little girl tells MacTavish while Simon stares at plastic stars.


He found her hiding behind a car, and she ran to him the moment he put his gun away and stretched out his hand. Lips were quivering, she asked if he was a good guy, he nodded but didn't give her a proper answer, just told her things would be fine and then proceeded to ask where she lived. "The green house," she said. "But it broke, mister."

He looked straight into her eyes, blue locked on brown, and he picked her up, settling the little girl on his hip as he took another look around to make sure it was safe to move forward. He needed to contact MacTavish, but he didn't want to alarm her. A stupid idea; if he were to be wrong, if the militia of this place was still around, they'd end up dead. No way he'd be able to protect her without getting them both killed in the process.

But he could feel her trembling and holding back sobs, and he had no idea what to do for this was the first time he found a child who wasn't already dead and dealing with the dead was a lot easier than dealing with the living. He remembered his nephew and how that little boy never got to grow up and be a man and when the path they took was one full of corpses, he told her to close her eyes and only open them when he said so.

"I like your mask," she said once it was safe to open her eyes again.

"Really?" he asked, his tone that of someone who's busy. Indeed, he was torn between going through the remains of a house that could collapse on both of them or going through an open field where they'd be easy targets.

"It's very skully."

He snorted. "S_kully_?" she shook her head up and down and he noticed her trembling had reduced a bit. He chose going through the house, and he warned her to keep her head down.

When a closet fell apart on what once was the bedroom, she jumped and he decided to explain to her that his mask had another name. She spent at least two minutes trying to pronounce 'balaclava' without messing up and giggling.

They'd been walking for at least ten minutes and his plan of not scaring her more than necessary went to hell when MacTavish's voice rang in his ear. He told the Captain everything, tried to find a way of saying 'her parents are probably dead' without sounding so cruel, but the best he could muster was 'she's all alone'. Nevertheless, the order was to keep going, a group of survivors had gathered around in a small house just west from where he was.

"What's your name, mister?" she asked when the conversation was over.

He mentally slapped himself for not even thinking of asking her name. "You first, little one. What's your name?"

"Tanya."

"Tanya. That's a pretty name."

She shrugged. "Now you!"

"Ghost."

Tanya put on a frown. "That's not a real name!"

"Says who?"

A discussion about names broke out then. Ghost tried his best to convince her that he wasn't lying to her, but she refused to believe anyone would name their child 'Ghost'. And like every five year old in the world, she looked at him and certainty was all over her face and he could never tell her about Simon because Simon was someone else entirely. So he made up excuses, stole a small laugh from her every now and then until they finally reached their destination.

Blue eyes on his team. Although some were grimacing in pain, and Roach had his left thigh wrapped in bandages, they were all breathing. They'd made it out alive. Up ahead there was indeed a house occupied by a few people. He was about to move when his Captain called out his name.

MacTavish had his arms folded, a scratch on his face and a cut on his upper lip. He looked tense and he gestured to the child in Ghost's arms, asked, "is this the little bug?" and he smiled a bit when Tanya protested, saying she was no bug. He held up his arms, apologized and asked if she was okay. She nodded, a bit shy, and when she was told there'd be a group of people that would come to talk to her, she looked away, as if she understood what that meant. That was when a shrill got their attention, and both Captain and Lieutenant found themselves staring in surprise at a woman running in their direction, screaming out the little girl's name. Tanya didn't waste a minute before jumping away from Ghost's arms and rushing to the woman's embrace. It didn't take much to figure out that was her mother, and Ghost exchanged a glance with his Captain and earned a pat on the back. His entire body was aching, especially his arms, but the scene unfolding before him made it better somehow. A false sense of peace and tranquilty hovered over him, and he figured that maybe they'd end this war and not die trying.

That all happened one hour ago.

Now, as Ghost sits on the front steps of the house, smoking the last of his cigarette, he notices the hope he felt before fading. It's not surprising at all. MacTavish's by his side, the rest of the team is inside the house and they're waiting for Nikolai who promised to be here in five minutes or so. Ghost doesn't dare to say a word, but he still can't believe that no one needed to fly away in a rush, that no one is dying or dead, that considering everything they've been through, today is a good day.

It's when he throws his cigarette away that he hears someone calling his name again. A high pitched voice, full of innocence. He watches as she runs on small, chubby legs and he wonders what she's doing out here again when he told her to stay inside the house with her mother. It doesn't matter if the area seems empty and safe, trouble is always waiting to be found. But she's here, face still covered in dirt, pink dress ripped and stained, right knee bleeding from the cut she got when she fell while running from danger before he found her.

She stands before him with a smile on her face. He doesn't know what to say. It's awkward for a minute and he knows MacTavish is studying the entire situation. She doesn't stop smiling and grabs his hand. He can't help but notice how tiny her hand is compared to his. She places a necklace on his palm. It's made of plastic in the shape of stars. He stares at it for a moment, the bright pink color of those stars staring right back at him, and when he looks up again she tells him, "I made it myself! Well, mommy did, but I helped! It's yours now, Mr. Ghost, for good luck!"

She turns to MacTavish and doesn't notice Ghost's stunned silence. "I wanted to give you a hat, but we don't have any."

"A hat?" the Captain asks, obviously amused.

"Your hair is funny."

There's nothing left for him to do but chuckle.

"Oh, mom's calling me," she says as she spots her mother waving at her from the distance. She hugs MacTavish first, and when it's Ghost's turn she tries to engulf him in the biggest hug a child can muster. It takes him a moment to hug her back, but he does so with gentleness and she pulls away. "Bye, Mr. Ghost, bye Mr. Funny Hair," and runs back to her mother.

Ghost looks at the man sitting next to him. He shakes his head, a smirk on his face, one that says he can't believe what just happened.

The Lieutenant gives the necklace a second look. He sighs. Puts the necklace inside his pocket and lights another cigarette.


End file.
